The ultimate objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
is to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system. To that end,
greenhouse gas concentrations must be stabilized in the atmosphere. While developed
countries need to take the lead, it is clear that the climate will benefit from
actions around the world.

It was agreed that industrialized countries will increase the regular reporting of
progress towards these targets by continuing to submit detailed annual inventories of
greenhouse gas emissions and by reporting on the progress towards achieving their
emission reduction targets every two years. The guidelines for strengthened reporting
and review have been developed and adopted. Both reporting and international
assessment and review began in 2014.

At the same time Parties to the Kyoto Protocol engaged in negotiations on the second
commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol (2013-2020). These negotiations resulted in
adoption, in accordance with Articles 20 and 21 of the Kyoto Protocol, of an
amendment to the Protocol by decision 1/CMP.8. This amendment is known as the
Doha
amendment and includes quantified emission limitation or reduction commitments
under the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol by several developed
countries assuming commitments for this period.

During the first commitment period (2008-2012), 37 industrialized countries and the
European Community committed to reduce GHG emissions to an average of five percent
against 1990 levels. During the second commitment period (2013-2020), Parties
committed to reduce GHG emissions by at least 18 percent below 1990; however, the
composition of Parties in the second commitment period is different from the first.

Nationally Appropriate Emission Reductions by Developing Countries

From 2009, the climate change negotiations opened up an unprecedented opportunity for
all developing countries to join global efforts to contribute towards reducing
greenhouse gas emissions. Developing countries agreed to craft Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions
(NAMAs) that are in line with their national development objectives. Through
NAMAs, developing countries aim to reduce their emissions below business as usual by
2020.

NAMA Registry

The Conference of the Parties at its sixteenth session decided to set up a registry
to record NAMAs. Countries that are willing to support NAMA initiatives can enter the
details of that support in the registry, thereby enabling developing countries in
need of support to be matched with relevant offers. More information is available on
the NAMA
Registry and the NAMA Registry Database.

Work plan on enhancing pre-2020 ambition

The COP, by decision 1/CP.17, launched a workplan on enhancing mitigation ambition to
identify and explore options for a range of actions that can close the ambition gap,
with a view to ensuring the highest possible mitigation efforts by all Parties. In
order to accelerate activities under the workplan, the COP, by decision 1/CP.19,
agreed to intensify the technical examination of opportunities for actions with high
mitigation potential through Technical Expert
Meetings that focus on the implementation of policies, practices and
technologies with a view to promoting voluntary cooperation on concrete actions.